Thinking Differently
by Sorinapha Fumiyo Benatar
Summary: Paine and Baralai have always been friends, but things are changing- and they both know it.


**I'm writing this little one-shot to celebrate the fact that I have a new laptop! XD I'll be able to post stories a lot more often now. Sweet, huh? I haven't written Final Fantasy fanfiction for a while, so this is kind of a blast-from-the-past thing for me. X-2 is definitely my favorite, though, and so this is still a familiar thing for me. This story doesn't have any questionable content in it, but I'm still rating it Teen because I don't think love stories are for kids—unless they're Brothers Grimm stories. Yeah, I'm old-school.**

Paine spread lip gloss over her full, pretty mouth nonchalantly, ignoring the trance music that Rikku was playing at an ear-splitting volume just outside the bathroom. She pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a red sleeveless blouse, and left the bathroom to look for her heels.

She walked past Rikku and slapped her across the back of the head. "Turn it down, won't you?"

"Hey!" Rikku pouted. "I'm trying to listen to my music here!"

"What about the rest of us?" Paine asked, pulling one of her blonde braids playfully.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…." She frowned. "Aren't you getting off soon? I think we're flying over Macalania Woods right now…"

"Right next to Bevelle." Paine sighed nervously. "I thought it would take longer to get here…"

"Well, that new engine Brother installed really made a difference." Rikku grinned. "Just like having a new airship."

"What was wrong with it before?" Paine demanded. "I hardly had any time to get ready."

"Aww, Dr. P's nervous!" Rikku grinned teasingly. "Her first date with Baralai-how sweet!"

"Shut up," Paine frowned. "If Yuna were here, she wouldn't be half as annoying as you are."

The intercom crackled, and Brother's heavily accented voice came booming over the speakers. "Well, Mrs. Praetor Baralai, we're here! Go meet your hubby!"

Paine scowled, and stomped off the airship ramp.

Baralai smoothed his shirt, and exhaled. His nerves were killing him. He didn't know what he would do when he saw her. She always looked so beautiful—he literally had trouble breathing sometimes when he looked at her. He started daydreaming about her, about the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed…

He heard high-heels clicking across the floor, and he looked up abruptly. She was walking towards him, and she looked stunning. He held his breath.

"Hey," she said softly, with a shy smile that broke his heart.

"Hey, Paine," he answered. He felt a smile start to stretch across his face without any warning. The lip gloss she was wearing made her lips look so delicious. He wanted to kiss her so badly. He didn't intend to tonight, for fear of moving too fast, but he wanted to. "I hope you're hungry. What do you want to eat?"

Paine grinned. "I was thinking sushi."

"Sushi's great." He started walking towards the town square. "I know this really good restaurant…"

"Let's go," She took his arm, and he was beaming. He'd never been so happy in his life. She was amazing, and he had her to himself this evening. He started racking his brain for conversation topics- music, movies, sphere-hunting….he had no idea what he would say. He just had a feeling that it was all going to go well, a feeling that he had no desire to shake.

"So, how are Yuna and Rikku?" Baralai asked her, with a smile.

Paine rolled her eyes. "Yuna's back on Besaid Island, visiting family- her little cousin, in particular. Rikku is with us, and as crazy as ever. She was playing her music as loud as she possibly could earlier, and she knows I can't _stand_ having music that loud…."

He laughed. "Yeah, Rikku's a handful."

"I mean, I love her to death-and maybe I respect her a little, too- but when I'm trying to think about something, and she's distracting me-"

"What were you thinking about?" He asked, instantly serious.

She paused. "Well, I was tallying up the 'respect points.'"

"How many 'respect points' does Rikku have now?"

"Thirty-three."

Baralai frowned a little. "I thought she had about forty…"

Paine grinned. His frown was so cute. "The number decreases every day."

"At least you love her, huh?"

"She's like a little sister," Paine agreed, fidgeting with her necklace- indulging her nervous habit.

He noticed, and abruptly changed the subject. "Those are beautiful pearls."

"They were my mother's." Her face fell a little. He reached out his hand and took it into his own comfortingly. She blushed a little, surprised that he would be so affectionate.

They sat in silence for a little while longer, before Baralai spoke.

"You know, we've known each other for a long time," he said.

"Two years now," she answered.

"But why does it feel like we just met?" he pressed.

"It's not like we feel like strangers," Paine insisted. "It's that…well, until a couple of months ago, I had never thought of you as anything _but_ a friend. But now, I'm thinking differently."

Baralai smiled, and he looked genuinely happy. "I'm glad you're thinking differently."

"So am I," she answered with a smile.

He held her hand as he walked her back to the outskirts of Bevelle, where the Celsius waited.

Before they even reached the airship, they heard Rikku's music, and felt the thump of the bass.

"I see what you meant," he said in her ear, with a chuckle.

She simply rolled her eyes.

She turned around to give him a hug, and wrapped her arms around his neck sweetly. He hugged her back tightly, savoring the way she fit into his arms.

"I'll see you soon, OK?" she asked him.

"Sure," he agreed, glad she wanted to see him again. "Tell Rikku to turn it down- she's disturbing the peace."

Paine smiled. "I don't think she'll listen, but I'll try."

"You won't go insane, will you?" Baralai asked.

"No. I would have before, but-"she laughed lightly, "I'm thinking differently about it."

**For those who care, Rikku is listening to Nightcore. La la la! I hope that story wasn't too corny.**


End file.
